2, Forbidden City-gates

What's wrong with the beloved, iconic Chinese imperial palace? On the night of May 8, a thief sneaked into what is reportedly the most guarded part of the Forbidden City and stole seven rare items from a temporary exhibition jointly organized by the Palace Museum and a private museum in Hong Kong.

The thief was eventually caught by the police, but the scandal didn't end there. From the wrong Chinese character in an official description, to allegations of a private, exclusive club inside the palace, to a tax evasion scandal and the mishandling and damaging of certain relics in July, more and more secrets were unveiled online. Thus led to increasingly heated debates, public anger and serious questions about the museum's "management loopholes."

Zheng Xinmiao, director of the Palace Museum, finally admitted human error and apologized on August 19. Zheng vowed to improve the training and education of museum staff. He also pledged to upgrade its security system and fully implement risk management and security procedures for all future exhibitions. In addition, he promised greater transparency and more regular engagement with the public.

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